The aspects disclosed herein relate to a method of manufacturing molding elements for molds intended for molding tires provided with a tread comprising a circumferential arrangement of tread pattern elements.
The mass production of tires calls for a particularly complex and costly industrial process involving numerous machines, complex methods and numerous preparatory phases. One side effect of the complexity of the process is that it is not very flexible, reducing the options for modifying configurations or arrangements after a manufacturing line has been set up. This lack of flexibility is particularly applicable to the molds intended for the vulcanizing and molding phases.
Now, vehicles are being increasingly produced in short production runs, with specific features that make these vehicles unique and attractive by comparison with those that are more mass-produced. Of the specification options on offer, the tires are often one of the key distinguishing features.
There is therefore a significant and growing need to improve the flexibility of tire manufacturing processes. Furthermore, there is a growing need to simplify and facilitate the preparation of tires provided with attractive specific features.
Moreover, document WO9948674 describes a casting model for the manufacture of a segment intended to be mounted in a ring-shaped mold. The casting model comprises at least one patterned surface which is preferably equipped with pattern parts. The patterned surface of the model is designed to be formed from at least two pattern elements. The document also describes a method of manufacturing a casting model.
Document US2012/043693 relates to molding methods used to manufacture microstructured objects. By including a plurality of microfeatures on the surface of an object, other features, such as an increase in the hydrophobic nature, may be conferred upon the object. Certain molding and casting methods described in that document allow the manufacture of objects that have both micro and macro features.
Application US2011/042858 describes a method of manufacturing a mold having a surface prepared for production. One of the methods described in that document relates to the computerized creation of an enlarged geometry model of a mold. A physical model of the mold is thus produced on the basis of the computer model using material that disintegrates at a certain temperature. A ceramic molding of the physical model of the mold is created and molten metal is poured into and cast in the ceramic molding, disintegrating the physical model of the mold. The molten metal is then cooled and the ceramic mold is removed to reveal the mold the surface of which is prepared for production.
Document US2005/0248053 describes a mold comprising a plurality of modules placed side by side. A wedge, the thickness of which is specifically controlled, makes it possible to create a slot between each of the modules.
Document US2002/0176792 relates to a method of manufacturing a tire mold segment. A segmented tire model made of refractory material is formed by segments of the tire model. The segments are obtained by sintering. Blades may be mounted in the segments of the tire model.
None of the aforementioned documents offers a solution that makes it possible to increase the flexibility of the modes of manufacture enough to meet the new requirements in terms of product ranges that are increasingly subject to rapid evolution.